Quarentined
by Heachan
Summary: On the way to Briggs, Ed comes down with a strange sickness after an assignment.  -That was a lame summary but please read.
1. Chapter 1

This whole thing was stupid...to say the least. It was also a complete waste of time. But here he sat, mouth pulled down in a scowl and eyebrow twitching every so often. His annoyed facial expression matched the rest of his body language as he sat with his shoulders hunched forward and arms crossed over his chest. He stared straight ahead at the far wall completely ignoring the suit of armor sitting next to the door.

Alphonse's demeanor was completely different from his brother's though. He stared at the floor and figided every so often. Glancing up he noticed that Edward was still making it a point not to look in his direction. The armor let out a vocal sigh and shook his head.

"Brother, are you going to sulk all day?" The blond grunted back. "I'm sorry but there was nothing else I could do."

"I said no hospitals, Al." Ed's tone came out flat and irritated. Alphonse shook his head, knowing this conversation was not worth his effort. Edward had already made quite a stink about all of this but Al knew this was for the best. Of course when Ed didn't want to do something, he made sure everyone knew about it. His attitude just made this even worse.

"What was I suppose to do?" Al's voice came out in almost a whisper. Edward didn't reply but made a low growl. Alphonse turned from the bed towards the door, wondering when the doctor was going to come in. The brief moment of silence was interrupted when Ed finally turned to his younger brother in one final spurt of anger.

"And you didn't have to take my leg!"

oOoOo

It's always a bad sign when someone runs. All Ed was suppose to do was investigate an alchemist that was suspected of stealing minerals from a military train. It really wasn't something a capable alchemist like Ed should even be dealing with. However it was on their way to Briggs and oddly enough, the order wasn't from Mustang so Ed couldn't say no. He didn't have to say much before the man slammed the door in his face and took off out the back door.

The easiest thing to do would have been to leave however he would have to write up a report and there would be repercussions if he decided to give up so easily. So they chased after the thief even though he had a pretty good head start. Deciding to split up had been their first mistake.

oOoOo

"You wouldn't sit still!" Alphonse returned his tone. "If you would just listen to me and not overdue it so much." Edward released another growl and brought his eyes straight ahead again. Al dropped his gaze to his lap where Ed's automail leg was. Despite how Ed was acting though, Alphonse knew he was right in coming here. He just hoped the doctors could help. "So that's it then, you're just going to ignore me cause you're mad?" There was a huff from across the room and Ed tilted his head back some, sticking his nose in the air.

"So this is the thanks I get for looking out for you? Maybe next time I'm send on an assignment, I should just go by myself." Al stood up in shock and anger all at the same time.

"How can you say something like that? If I hadn't been there..." The younger Elric clenched his fists and he dropped his helmet. "You know, just forget it! You're so ungrateful!" With that, he turned on his heel and exited the room slamming the door behind him. Ed stared in shock for several seconds before he made one dumbfounded observation.

"He took it with him," he hollared realizing he was stuck there.

A/N this is kind of short for a first chapter but I'll add another chapter soon as long as I get some reviews.


	2. Chapter 2

His name was Stewart Rivers. Although he had never openly opposed the military, it was in his small town where several raw metals went missing. Any State Alchemist could look at the list of materials and know they were alchemic resources. Since there wasn't another alchemist for miles he was the only likely suspect.

"Don't they have cops to deal with this kind of thing," Edward muttered under his breath. Al quietly followed behind him as they headed for the address he had written down.

"Hopefully this won't take too long. Although I don't know what they want you to do if he's guilty." They stopped at one particular house and Edward knocked loudly on the front door.

"Yeah it's not like I've got handcuffs or some holding cell in my pocket." He pulled out his watch for identification. The door was only opened for only a second or two before the man on the other side noticed the watch in Ed's hand and slammed the door closed again.

"Hey!" Ed angrily knocked on the door again.

"I guess he doesn't want to talk to us."

"Hell if I care." Ed was not in the mood to be deterred from their plans any further. Clapping, he pressed his hands against the door, forcing it opened. The inside of the house was dark and there was no sign of the man who had just so recently slammed the door. Ed didn't get very far when Alphonse heard some noise in the back. Glancing around the corner he noticed Rivers jumping over the fence in the backyard.

"Brother, he's getting away." Ed rushed out of the house.

"Al, you go down that street in case he doubles back to the front. I'll go after him." His patients were wearing thin as he hurried to the fence. Deciding he was not about to jump it, he clapped his hands again, going through it instead. He did the same to a brick wall in the next yard as well. Nothing was going to get in his way.

OoOo

What Al didn't seem to understand was how much Ed just wanted to find May. Ever since they decided to find another way to get their bodies back, he felt like they had lost momentum. The trail hadn't just gone cold, it was none existent. Then there was the military watching their every move and threatening Winry. Things just kept getting more and more complicated. Now he was stuck sitting here by himself like he had time to waste. All this thinking was making his head hurt and he leaned back on the pillow. Rubbing his forehead, he realized he felt hot.

"This is so stupid..." He dropped his hand at his side and closed his eyes. Several minutes went by before he thought he heard the door open and he forced his eyes open. "Al?" The nurse leaned over him, feeling his forehead. She called for someone but he found himself not caring. Before he knew it there were several more people in the room but no Alphonse. '_Guess I really made him mad.' _

oOoOo

It was like chasing a shadow as Ed turned another corner only to stop short at another wall. He had been all over the back alleys and side streets but for some reason could not catch Rivers. He always seemed to be two steps ahead.

"Dammit, where'd he go?" He punched the wall with his metal fist. Turning around he couldn't help but wonder where Alphonse was. Before he had a chance to figure out his next move he heard Al yell somewhere nearby. Moving quickly, he clapped his hands and pressed them to the ground. As the alchemy came to life, the ground under his feet shot him upward. Landing on a nearby roof he hurried in the direction he heard Alphonse from. Making it over several roof tops, Ed finally spotted Al standing against a wall. Rivers had a weapon and was closing in on the cornered armor.

A/N-you know how it works, get me enough reviews I post the next chapter faster. :)


	3. Chapter 3

As much as Alphonse wanted to stay away he really had nowhere to go. After being gone for about two hours, he grudgingly headed back to the hospital. Maybe by now, Ed's attitude had changed or the doctor was able to determine what was going on so that they could leave. Walking through the waiting room, he noticed there wasn't a single person there, not even the nurse at the desk. Slinging the automail leg over his shoulder he headed down the hall to Ed's room. He stopped short in the doorway when he noticed the bed was empty.

"Where'd he go?" Alphonse knew that despite how stubborn his older brother was, there was no way he'd try to leave without his leg. He had too much dignity for that. Turning around, he noticed a nurse hurrying from a supplies closet to a nearby room. Shrugging to himself, he decided to follow her further down the hallway.

oOoOo

Edward launched from the roof but not fast enough as the blade in Rivers hand sliced through Al's arm, almost cutting all the way through. Ed managed to land on the man hard, slamming him face first into the ground.

"Just say you're guilty so we can get on our way." Edward was always being underestimated, whether it was for his height or age. Going up against guys like Rivers was nothing new for him. Stepping off of the thief, he got a better look at Al's arm. The knife was still stuck in the armor and he attempted to pull it out. Without warning, the solid weapon dissolved into a clear liquid. "What in the world? What just happened?" He leaned down and poked a finger at the puddle now at Al's feet. Just as Ed turned to ask Rivers about the weapon, the man was already up and running down the alley. "Dammit! He's getting away!" Ed got to his feet and turned back to Al. "Come on!" Bringing his hands together, he fixed Al's arm in the blink of an eye. They both took off running but Rivers was gone.

oOoOo

"Quarantined? Why, what does he have?" The younger Elric was having a hard time understanding why the doctors had gone to such an extreme. The young doctor adjusted his glasses on his face as he glanced over his notes.

"We aren't sure how contagious he is but somehow he came in contact with this infection. It started out pretty slow but has become very aggressive." As much as Alphonse wanted to go see Edward, he knew they wouldn't let him in the room. He could always show them that he didn't have a body that could catch whatever Ed had, but decided against that. Besides he had a good idea where the infection came from. Walking over to the door, he could see Edward from the small window. He seemed to be sleeping which was best for everyone. If he knew they were not only keeping him, but also wouldn't let Al see him, he'd throw a fit.

"Guess it's up to me then." Al handed the automail limb back to the doctor and hurried for the exit.

oOoOo

By the time they returned to the house, it was dark out. Instead of being polite and knocking again, this time Edward decided a more forceful way in. The door didn't stand a chance as his foot went right through it.

"Aw, Dammit! That usually works!" Unfortunately his foot was the only thing to go through and his entire leg was stuck in the wood. Alphonse shook his head and quickly helped him out.

"Serves you right, why can't we just be quiet about this." He was so exasperated as Ed brushed himself off.

"Fine, we'll do it_ your_ way." Al went over and reached through the hole. Finding the handle, he got the door opened. There were no lights on inside, making it difficult for them to see. Trying not to bump into anything, they wondered into the kitchen. Nothing was out of place and they moved towards the back of the house. Pulling back the curtain, Al let moonlight bath the room, revealing they were there alone.

"Maybe he's not here." Ed crossed his arms and walked around the room, noticing the books in a book case and the mail that was opened on the coffee table. Next to the mail was a cup of water, condensation still on the outside of the glass.

"No, he's here alright." A faint unnatural light caught Al's eye in the far corner. It was coming from under a door. Ed noticed as well and they crept over to opened the door. The staircase before them headed down to the basement. "Come on, Al."

A/N-Review request! XD


	4. Chapter 4

The stairs creaked under Al's heavy footsteps. Edward glanced back at him with an annoyed look.

"Al, walk lighter."

"What do you mean? I can't walk any lighter." Al's tone revealed he was starting to get annoyed with Ed's attitude. They made it to the bottom of the stairs and paused, taking in the sight. The room was filled with the alchemic materials, stocked to the ceiling.

"I knew he did it," Ed whispered as he looked around. Carefully he moved around the piles of stolen property. Alphonse had a difficult time not knocking anything over.

"I don't think I can fit," he declared as the space to walk became too narrow. Glancing up, he noticed a shadow moving overhead. "Brother, I think he's here." Edward turned around towards Al just as something was falling overhead. "Look out!" Ed looked up just as a large amount of liquid drenched him. It was as though it were pouring in the basement. It only lasted for a few seconds but Edward was drenched.

"Ack, what is this stuff?" He sniffed his sleeve, but couldn't determine the stench. "Hah hah, very clever! Where you hoping to rust my automail or something?"

"You aren't the brightest State Alchemist, are you?" Rivers smiled from above.

"You're one to talk, you're such a coward, not fighting fairly!" Ed was busy wringing his jacket off.

"I consider it being smart. I have no intentions of fighting the two of you at once. That would make me stupid." Alphonse grabbed a piece of iron and tossed at the man hovering above them, knocking him to the ground.

"You shouldn't have taken something that didn't belong to you in the first place," The younger Elric told him. Edward made it over to Rivers before he had the chance to get up. Despite the obvious outcome of the fight, the man on the floor glared up at the younger Alchemist.

"Do you honestly think the military needs all this metal? They're just going to build guns and weapons from it and hurt people. You know I'm right." Ed was not in the mood to have a conversation about the military's code of ethics.

"That doesn't give you the right to steal from them." Rivers shrugged his shoulders and smirked in response, rising to his feet.

"Well I tried to reason with you, guess I'll have to resort to more violent methods." Edward arched an eyebrow and brought his hands infront of him for protection. Instead of attacking, the other Alchemist simply started to laugh at the predicament. "So naiive. I don't have to fight you." Ed glanced back at Alphonse, wondering if he understood what the guy was talking about. His younger brother seemed just as confused though. Just when Edward was going to turn back to the thief before them, his breath caught in his throat. His chest started to feel tight, as though his ribcage was crushing his lungs. Trying to suck in his next breath, he realized he felt light headed. As his condition worsened, Al realized he was in trouble and pushed past the obstacles on either side.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Rivers laughed even louder as Ed rubbed his forehead, feeling sweat starting to form.

"I don't know...just...feel...bad." His legs collapsed under him, unable to keep him up. Alphonse reached out, scooping him up quickly. His crimson eyes glared at the man before him who was no longer laughing but still smiled at his accomplishment.

"Shouldn't have been so careless, State Alchemist." As much as Al wanted to take the man down himself, he knew Ed needed help. He hurried for the exit, rushing up the stairs. Once back in the living room, he placed Ed down for a second and clapped his hands together. Alchemy jumped from his fingertips as they pressed against the doorway, sealing the door shut.

"We c..can't leave." Edward started to say but his younger brother would hear none of it as he picked him up again. "I'll be okay. It's not so bad." It wasn't enough to convince Al though as he made it back outside. Ed pushed against him in a need to stand on his own. "Alphonse, put me down!" Shocked by the sudden struggle, he carefully place him down.

"Are you sure, you look aweful." Ed placed a hand on the nearby wall to steady himself. He still felt uneasy but wouldn't let Al know it.

"We have to go back. You had no right just taking me out of a fight." His words might have sounded confident however he was still breathing hard and hadn't let go of the wall yet.

"Fine, then go back. I sealed him in the basement so he couldn't get out." Ed frowned at the challenge that he knew he couldn't complete. The idea of going back into the house and walking down all those stairs seemed like too much. But he was too stubborn to give up now. Al's challenge just fueled his determination even more.

"Fine, I will." He spun on his heel and managed two steps before falling forward. Al moved fast enough this time to catch him.

"Brother, this is serious." Ed's head dropped to the side and his body felt limp.  
"Ed, come on. Wake up." There was no response, causing Alphonse to be even more concerned.

A/N- thanks for all of those who reviewed last time. Really made me happy! :) And sorry the chapters aren't very long.


	5. Chapter 5

Luckily Alphonse had remembered seeing a military hospital near the train station. Showing Ed's pocket watch to the nurse behind the front desk, he was shown back to a room. Al wasn't in the room long before the nurse shoved him back out into the hallway.

"We'll let you back in once we get him situated." With that she closed the door, leaving Alphonse alone.

"Guess I can get a hold of the main office to let them know Rivers has their stolen resources." The armored boy headed back to the waiting room to make his call.

oOoOo

"I need to talk to him." The armor was expecting to get an odd look for his request but he was surprised when the officer actually laughed at him.

"Really, what for? He's only been in our custody for a couple of hours now."

"Please, it's really important. It's for my Brother." He really didn't want to get into the details about their situation. The officer's expression became very serious.

"Unfortunately, I'm not aloud to let you back, since you're not military." Alphonse dropped his head in defeat. "So if you'll follow me." Al lifted his gaze, confused by the request but obediently did as he was told. The officer opened a door in the back and turned on a light. The room was empty except for a couple of chairs and a table. It looked like a typical interrogation room.

"Am I in trouble?" Al pointed at himself only to cause the man in front of him to let out another laugh.

"No, just wait in here." With that the officer took off, out of sight. The suit of armor brought his head down to duck through the doorway and took a seat, patiently waiting.

oOoOo

There was a commotion that could be heard in the waiting room where the younger Elric sat. If he could grimace, he would be now as he could only assume who was causing the problem. Letting out a vocal sigh, he got to his feet and headed in the direction of Ed's room. A nurse burst out of the room with an angry scowl on her face.

"Is everything okay?" She turned and glared up at him. "I...I'm sorry. He's not always the most cooperative..." She cut him off, pointed back at the door.

"Cooperative? Try one of the most stubborn patients I've ever dealt with. He won't even stay in bed. You might want to go talk some sense into him." Another nurse rushed out of the room, also exasperated and holding her arm close.

"He just tried to bite me." Alphonse brought his hand up and covered his face. Edward was well known for embarrassing him and this really shouldn't have surprised him at all.

"I'm really sorry. I'll see if I can calm him down." The two nurses moved out of his way and he walked into the room. Even though he was awake, it was clear he wasn't well. He looked flushed still and slightly out of it. But despite how he was feeling, Ed still managed to make his disapproval clear by the look he gave his little brother.

"Do you really think I'm gonna stay here?" Al walked over to the bedside shaking his head.

"I can't believe you were so rude to those nurses." Edward waved an angry fist up at him.

"How could you bring me _here_ of all places? You know I hate hospitals! Besides, we don't have time for this!" His rant didn't help his case at all though when it came to Al.

"You collapsed, what else was I suppose to do? I think it had to do with that stuff Rivers threw on you."

"Then fine, let's go ask him about it." Ed shifted to the edge of the bed, moving around Al.

"What are you doing? You can't leave." Amber daggers shot up at him as Edward glared back.

"You just said Rivers did this, so why are we sitting around here? Come on." As he went to stand up, Al pushed him back down.

"I'll go check it out if that's what you want me to do. But you're staying."

"Like hell I am! You can't make me!"

"Oh no?" Al clapped his hands together and grabbed onto Ed's automail leg. Blue electricity bounced around and finally faded. Edward stared in shock, unsure if Alphonse really just took his leg away. "Now you can't go anywhere."

"Dammit Al!" He tried to grab for it only to loose his balance and fell out of the bed. Letting out several coughs, he glanced up as Al offered to help him up. "That was a dirty trick." Ed's voice came out weaker from the coughing as he leaned on Al for support.

"I know but it's for the best. Come on, get back in bed. I'll stay with you till the doctor comes in. Assuming anyone here wants to deal with you now." Alphonse got him back in the bed with little argument.

oOoOo

The door opened and Rivers was shoved into the room with Alphonse. The officer pushed him into a chair across from the suit of armor. As much as Al wanted to beg the man before him for answers, he decided in this particular situation he would use his intimidating appearance to his advantage. His cold soulful eyes stared down at the other alchemist.

"I need to know what you did to my brother." He kept his tone low and threatening. Rivers tilted his head to the side and smiled back at him.

"Depends, whats in it for me? Are you going to convince them to let me go?"

"I don't have any authority to tell them to do anything but my brother is really sick. I think you know what I need to do to help him." The convicted thief folded his hands and leaned his chin on them.

"Still not seeing how this benefits me." Al let out a vocal sigh. This was going to be more difficult then he thought.

A/N- I was going to make this the last chapter but I changed my mind. Reviews are always welcome! Always


	6. Chapter 6

A slight pain woke Ed from his slumber. It was coming from his right shoulder and he brought his other hand over to rub the soreness where his automail connected. It felt like pins and needles which caused a muscle spasm between his collar bone and neck. It was an unsettling feeling that he didn't like. Glancing around, he noticed Al still hadn't returned. The cold room was empty and quiet except for the constant beeping of the hear monitor. The sound was irritating and he reached up, yanking the wires off his chest.

_'Well if Al isn't here then there's no one stopping me from leaving.'_ Shifted to the edge, he tried to stand up, forgetting about his missing automail. Being off balance, he went down fast. Grabbing onto the bed didn't help much either. Next to the door was a single wheelchair and he let out a groan, knowing he wasn't about to crawl all the way over to it. Clapping his hands, he pressed his palms to the ground. The floor rippled from alchemy towards the chair. The movement caused the chair to roll in his direction. It took several frustrating minutes to get up in the seat, but he finally managed.

The effort made him tired and he was breathing heavy again. Regardless though, he couldn't stay here. Any time he got injured and ended up in the hospital, it made him feel helpless, just like his attempted human transmutation. It reminded him of those past days when he would have no other option but to sit in bed for hours a day, trying to figure out what went wrong. It was a heavy feeling that was difficult to brush off especially being here alone. The same unnerving pain flared up even more now, causing him to grit his teeth. _'This has to be one of the lamest escapes ever,' _he told himself as he realized he almost wanted to get back in bed. Before he could go any further with his plan, the door opened and the doctor along with one of the nurses came in.

"Fullmetal, sir you shouldn't be up."

oOoOo

Alphonse walked down the street at a slow pace. His mind was a million miles away, trying to come up with some way to help Ed. Rivers hadn't told him anything useful which only made the situation feel even more hopeless. He stopped by the alchemist's house again, looking through his research. All he found was a journal which mentioned the use of steel weapons and transmuting them into other substances, mainly liquid. Considering the man's perspective of the military, it made some sense. If the military went into an area with weapons, you could easily stop them by transmuting anything made of steel into water. The theories could work but there was nothing mentioned about using liquid as a weapon. If anyone would be able to figure out the connection, it was Ed. He was the one who specialized in metal components. Al's knowledge was on a broader scale, not focused on one specific material.

With this lack of information, it made his soul feel weighed down. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the military hospital once more. Releasing a vocal huff, he walked up to the entrance. Trying to still be optimistic, he wondered if the doctor had figured anything out. As he got closer to the quarantined area, he could hear the doctor's raised voice and he slouched his large frame, already having a pretty good idea what was going on. Again.

"Guess he's awake."

If ever there was a point that Edward wanted his automail, it was now. By this point, the doctor had called in two orderlys. Even though the two men were much bigger then Ed, it didn't stop him from thrashing with all his strength. It didn't matter if it was wasted effort, he wasn't going to cooperate. He was desperately trying to bring his palms together, in order to make it an even fight.

"I said let me go!" He yanked his one arm but to no avail.

"You don't seem to understand how sick you are. Please just let us help." The doctor was trying his best to remain calm and not get annoyed with his patient. But despite his efforts, Ed just kept shaking his head. It could have been the fever but the doctor wondered if the infection was affecting Ed's thought process. Finally getting the leverage he needed, he got his hands together and the blue electric light of alchemy danced around the room. From Al's point of view, he could have sworn that Edward was intending to destroy the whole room as spiked shot out from the ceiling, walls, and floor. Two large hands came up on either side of the bed, forcing the two large men away from him. Alphonse couldn't sit still anymore as he pushed the door open.

"Brother, quit it! You're gonna hurt someone!" The older Elric still sitting up in the bed brought his worn out gaze to the door. Hands still together, he looked dumbfounded, as though he wasn't sure what he had down. The throbbing pain in his shoulder got worse and he let out a stifled breath. Al clapped and placed his one hand on the wall, turning everything back to the way it was. Ed didn't even have a chance to say anything as he fell limply back on the pillow. The doctor made eye contact with Alphonse.

"Did he do that on purpose?"


	7. Chapter 7

It was now evening and things had quieted down a bit. Alphonse had pulled a chair up and was sitting outside in the hallway, looking over the journal. He hadn't even gotten the opportunity to show it to Edward yet. Ever since the alchemy incident earlier, his older brother had pretty much been out of it. As a precaution, the doctor decided to remove his right arm as well. Even though Al really wanted to show him the journal, he knew he'd be livid at this point.

Dr. Griffin was off, running some more tests. He still wasn't sure what was the cause of Ed's illness. Other then the consistent fever and confusion, Ed had thrown up twice now. Whatever he had was getting worse. Even though he tried to act tough, Al knew this was taking it's toll on him. Letting out a quiet huff, the suit of armor glanced back down at the book in his hand. He wondered if he could really find the answer in these notes. Even so he would dutifully continue to study it in hopes that something jumped out at him.

Sometimes he wished Ed didn't have to take these assignments but he knew it was part of being a State Alchemist. It just seemed to be more trouble then it was worth. Al had hoped that the Furer would just let them be but this seemed to be one of his ways of keeping tabs on them. The thought of them being watched so closely frustrated the younger Elric. Of course there was nothing he could do about it either. If they disappeared, it would put Winry in danger. Until they knew she was safe, they had to stay out in the open.

After Alphonse went through the journal a second time unsuccessfully, he heard the doctor coming down the hallway. Looking up, the armored boy noticed there was another doctor there as well that he didn't recognize. Without saying a word, the two men entered the quarantined room, closing the door behind them.

oOoOo

It was difficult getting any decent amount of sleep on such an uncomfortable bed. However despite that, it was the constant aching that kept pulling Ed back to harsh reality. He wondered how long he'd been here. Rolling over, he let out a groan when he realized his right arm was missing as well. He already felt bad, now he felt horrible. His stomach wrenched and he tried desperately to not be sick.

Ed hated being in this predicament, being stuck in the hospital. His instincts were telling him to find a way out but he was physically unable to. Normally Winry was the only person who handled his automail and she would never leave him without his limbs. She knew enough about her customers to know that leaving them in this state had a negative affect on them mentally. His mind kept telling him his limbs were there when they weren't.

_'They probably just don't want me using alchemy,'_ he told himself, trying to stay calm. _'Al must be really worried. Wonder what's going on with me.'_ He shifted onto his side in an attempt to get more comfortable. Settling his head against the pillow, Ed tried to forget the fact that he was immobilized. Just as he started to doze off again, he heard the door open and two people walking in. He had no desire to look up or acknowledge their presence.

"So I wanted you to take a look at him, Dr. Mason. I know you've worked with automail patients before. I really think this is more in your area of expertise." Ed heard his doctor say to the other man in the room.

"I'll see what I can do. You mentioned the younger brother said something about water?"

"Yes, it was some kind of liquid chemical. The only conclusion I can come to is that it got in the port and that's where this infection came from.?" As the one doctor explained his theory, Dr. Mason was busy getting a closer look at Ed's arm port. By this point, Edward was starting to dose of, missing a lot of the conversation.

"What are the side affects?"

"He's had a bad fever since he was admitted and I think it's causing him to hallucinate. Originally we removed his arm so that he couldn't perform alchemy but I got a closer look at the connection on the automail to find a high content of the infection."

"Yes, I see what you're talking about. I'll most likely have to take a lot of the casing off to get a better look. Do you think it could protentally kill him?" Dr. Griffin shrugged back.

"We really need to find which antibiotics will work the fastest. Any fever that gets out of control can be fatal."

"I'd be more concerned with nerve damage. Depending on how much of a strain the automail causes on the host." There was a light knock on the door and Al poked his head in.

"Is everything okay?" Dr Griffin turned with a grim smile on his face.

"We might have a lead. Did you find anything from that book yet?" The suit of armor shook his head.

"Nothing helpful."

"Well don't worry about it, this is Doctor Mason and he's an expert on automail. I really think he can help." Al's crimson eyes lit up at this small developement. Maybe a specialist was all they needed to figure this out. It was enough to make him hopeful.


	8. Chapter 8

If only Ed had stayed awake long enough to hear the two doctors talking. If he hadn't been so worn out from being sick, his mind wouldn't have dreamt up a conversation that didn't happen. But since he only heard bits and pieces, his delusional thought process came up with it's own conclusion.

"What are the side affects?"

"He's had a bad fever since he was admitted and I think it's causing him to hallucinate. Originally we removed his arm so that he couldn't perform alchemy."

"Yes, that was probably a good idea. It's easier to control him."

"I don't know what we're gonna do with the younger brother."

"We'll figure something out." There was a soft knocking.

"Is everything okay?" The younger Elric's voice broke into the discussion. Ed's mind was screaming for him to wake up and tell Al was what going on but he couldn't even open his eyes.

_'Did they drug me or something. That has to be it. Who knows what else they've done to me. We can't stay here.'_ But there was no way to tell Al what was going on and it made his mind start to panic. If they were determined to keep them separate, there was no way he could get to Alphonse to warn him. This fever was making it difficult to think straight.

"We'll leave you to your work, Dr. Mason." Ed could hear the sound of Al's armor leaving the room with the one doctor. There was nothing Ed could do.

oOoOo

The hospital was always quiet at this hour. Dr. Mason had gotten what he needed and seemed optimistic about the outcome. After sitting down with Al and talking to him about the substance Rivers had dumped on Ed, he concluded that was definitely what was the cause of all this.

"It has many components to it, but from what I observed was this liquid is usually absorbed through the skin. I really don't think the man you were after was trying to cause this much trouble. If your brother didn't have automail, he wouldn't have gotten this sick. If used the appropriate way, all it would have done was slowed Fullmetal down some. Probably a couple of hours at best. Unfortunately since his nerves are directly connected to his arm and leg, this virus attacked his nervous system pretty quickly."

"So is there a cure for it?" Al was so relieved that they at least knew what they were dealing with.

"Yes, I've already gotten him started on several different antibiotics. It's gonna take some time and he might get worse before he gets better. We've got the medication going directly into his port so it doesn't have to waste time going through his whole system."

"Would I be able to see him now?" It had been more then half a day since Al had to stay out of the room which felt abnormal for him.

"It shouldn't be a problem but you need to let him get his sleep." The armor sitting across from him nodded, contently.

"Don't worry, I will. Thanks for your help." Once the doctor left, Al headed down the hallway back to the room Edward was in originally. He was sure that Ed would feel better now that he was back in a normal hospital room. The large suit of armor stood over the bed, silently. He didn't want to wake his older brother up as he carefully reached down and picked up the damp cloth that had fallen onto the pillow from Edward's forehead. Getting it wet again and wringing it out, he put it back in place. Ed still looked flush and was breathing heavily through his mouth. Glancing over at the wires and tubing connected to his arm port, Al wondered if he was feeling any better yet.

"What are we going to do when I get my body back and we're both vulnerable to these kind of attacks?" Alphonse smiled mentally to himself. There was a slight groan in response and Ed moved his head some on the pillow. _'When I get my body back, we won't have a need to chase after people like Rivers. We might actually have a normal life, whatever that looks like,'_ The armor concluded in his mind as he pulled a chair up to the bedside.

oOoOo

Several silent hours went by and it was coming around four in the morning before Ed tried to shift onto his left side. As he turned, the machine connected to his port wouldn't allow him to. He let out a frustrated noise that caught Al's attention, who was still reading the journal. He moved over, patting Edwards' head.

"Brother, just sit still." For some reason that seemed to help and the suit of armor took his seat again. Now that he wasn't in such a hurry to find answers in the book he was reading, he came to the conclusion that Rivers really didn't know how sick his concoction could make a person. Ed just seemed to have bad luck. The room was quiet again for a couple more minutes before Al heard Ed say his name. Bringing his book down, he noticed him squinting up at him. "Are you feeling any better?" Ed glanced over to his right and brought his hand over, feeling the foreign device that was not his arm.

"What is this?" It was clear that he was still out of it and Alphonse let out a sigh, knowing he had to now explain what was going on. Before he had the chance though, Edward turned back to him. "We can't stay here, Al." The younger Elric narrowed his eyes.

"Why, now what's wrong?" Al's tone was flat with fake concern. He figured this was just his brother's way of getting out of this place. Ed shook his head angrily.

"You have to listen to me. Those two doctors are up to something bad." Alphonse leaned on his hand and sighed loudly.

"I don't think you can consider trying to get your fever down and find out what's making you so sick as being bad."

"I know what I heard, dammit!" Ed was getting exasperated, even more so when Al brushed his hair out of his face and removed the washcloth again.  
"Brother, I know you're miserable but you have to stay here till we know you're all better. Dr. Mason was the one that found out that the stuff Rivers dumped on you got into your automail and that's what caused all this."

"I'm telling you, they're evil." Edward brought his left arm up to rub his temples. "Why don't you believe me?" Al wrung the cloth out again and placed it back.

"Because you've been talking in your sleep for hours now. You've been saying crazy things all night."

"But this was real..." The older Elric inhaled deeply several times, resting his hand on the washcloth, keeping it on his head.

"See, you're already feeling better." It was clear Al was patronizing him and Ed groaned in response.

"I don't like anyone else messing with my automail," he admitted, "But I know we need to put some distance between us and Winry right now."

"You'll feel better in the morning, I promise." There was another groan back and Al went back to the journal. Ed was sleeping again in minutes.

oOoOo

It was around nine in the morning when Dr. Mason knocked on the door.

"Just coming to see how everything is." He told Al. The armor stood politely from his seat, giving the doctor room. As he looked over Ed's arm port Al cleared his throat.

"So my brother thinks you're evil." The doctor let out a laugh and glanced up at the armor.

"Well so much for a first impression, he hasn't even technically met me yet."

"Sorry, if it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're evil."

"Thank you, that means a lot." After a couple more minutes, he finally removed the washcloth and placed his palm on Ed's head. "His temperature seems normal. I think you'll be able to leave today."

"Really? That would be great. He'll be so happy to hear that."

"Let's see if he can keep his breakfast down, but I'm pretty sure he'll be alright. I cleaned his automail so you should be good to go."

oOoOo

When Ed woke up, he was alone in his room. Glancing around, he wondered where Alphonse was. He could have sworn he was here last night.

"Or maybe I dreamt that up to," he told himself and rubbed his head again in hoped it would make things clearer. "What am I loosing my mind" He tried to sit up but couldn't. Glancing over to his right side, he was still hooked up to that machine. Rolling his eyes, he tried to pull away from it with no luck. Before he had the chance to do any damage, the door opened and Al walked in with his breakfast.

"Brother, don't break their equipment."

"Tell me that's food. I'm starving." Alphonse set the tray in his hands down and moved around to the other side of the bed. Within seconds Ed was released from the wretched thing and was able to sit up finally. "Wish you'd done that sooner."

"That thing is why you're better," Al was explaining but by now Ed was preoccupied with reaching the tray of food. "Never mind." Alphonse offered to help. Despite the lack of his one arm, Ed had mastered eating with his left hand only a long time ago. He ate his breakfast unusually fast even for him. "You should slow down, you'll choke if you're not careful. Also the evil doctors say we can probably leave today." Ed's shocked amber gaze shifted over to Al.

"Really?" His answer was muffled by the bite of food in his mouth.

"Finish eating first." Once he was done eating, Al helped him get his automail back in the ports. For some reason it wasn't so bad this time when the nerves connected.

"You think they numbed it or something? Maybe Winry is just mean on purpose." Ed moved his arm back and forth, getting used to it again.

oOoOo

By the afternoon Ed was given the go ahead to leave. He and Al headed down the street to the train station. On the way, Ed let out a huff.

"The nurses didn't have to act so happy when we left."

"You were pretty aweful to them though."

"Doesn't a guy get a break for being sick." Al let out a quiet laugh that caught his older brother's attention. "And what's that about?"  
The suit of armor waved his hands back and forth in denial.

"It's nothing."

"You're a horrible liar, you know that, right?"

"No, I mean it, well there was one thing. Remember I said you were talking in your sleep?"

"Yeah what about it?"

"You just said some funny stuff, that's all. I was just thinking about it." Edward narrowed his gaze as he kept staring up at Alphonse.

"What kind of funny stuff, Al?"

"It was all pretty random, you mentioned Winry a couple of times." Al didn't have to say anything else as Ed's face started to match his red jacket. He coughed and cleared his throat, trying to get some composure back.

"What did I say, exactly?" Alphonse started walking again towards the station.

"I'm not telling you." He took off running and Ed was quick to chase after him.

"You can't do that!" Al laughed back at him, happy to see that he had made a full recovery. It would have been bad if he was still sick when they reached the North. It was such an unknown territory to both of them, Alphonse wanted to be prepared for anything that came their way.

*End*

A/N- I actually felt bad about ending this story cause I know so many of you were enjoying it. Thanks for reading and thanks for the great reviews. Now if I could just write a story where Ed doesn't get hurt, hah.


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